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Grr! Graphics for Animal LiberationHow to Do Animal Rights -
And Win the War on Animals
Contents
About
Chapter 1
Introduction to Doing Animal Rights
1. The Broad Setting
2. Mass Extinction
3. The Animal Holocaust
Chapter 2
Know Your Animal Ethics & Animal Rights
1. Animal Ethics
BackgroundEthicsImportance of Animal EthicsGlossaryNow a Biff From HistoryHow to Proceed?Ethical TheoriesEthical Theories ComparedChoosing an Ethical TheoryDo Philosophical Ideas Work?2. Animal Rights
What are Animal Rights?Background to Animal RightsMajor Dates for RightsAnimal Rights TheoryFundamental Animal Ethical PositionsVariations on Animal RightsAre Rights a Cure-all?Universal Declaration on AnimalsArguments For & Against Animal Rights3. Comparing Animal Philosophies
Animal Ethics vs Animal RightsAnimal Rights vs Animal WelfareAnimal Rights vs ConservationDeep EcologyConclusion
Chapter 3
Campaigning Methods for Animal Rights
1. Introduction
2. Campaigning
Where to Begin?Keeping GoingTen Essential Campaigning TipsMore Tips3. Civil Disobedience
What Is Civil DisobedienceCivil Disobedience & Animal RightsArguments For & Against Civil Disobedience4. Direct Action
What is Direct Action?Examples of Animal Rights Direct ActionIndividual vs Mass Direct ActionSea Shepherd Conservation SocietyStop Huntingdon Animal CrueltyThe Battle of BrightlingseaInset: Background to BrightlingseaComparing Direct ActionsDirect Action vs Civil DisobedienceEfficacy of Direct Action5. Action Planning
What is an Action Plan?Why an Action Plan?Who Should Produce the Action Plan?Before You BeginDistinguish Operations From AdministrationsCreating Your Action PlanYou Should Be SmartYou Should Also SWOTMake It HappenReview ItA Simple Action Plan Template6. Lobbying
Who Can Lobby?What & Whom to LobbyStart LobbyingHow to LobbyLobbying Techniques7. Picketing
What is Picketing?AR Picketing is Like Industrial PicketingHow to Picket8. Starting a Group
What to Do?Name & LogoFinding MembersA Constitution?The Group CommitteeGroup Success Or FailureNewslettersFundraising9. Publicity
10. LeafletingDesignPrintingDistributionPosters & PlacardsOther Media11.News MediaMedia TipsA Feature Article?The Letters PageNews ReleaseThe RadioRadio Tips12. InternetThe WebEmailCreate Your Own Web SiteDesigning Your Web SiteCapturing ViewersDiscussion Boards
Chapter 4
Activities for Animal Rights
1. Undercover Investigator
2. Video Activist
3. Animal Friendly Traveller
4. Preacher
5. Animal Rescuer
6. Investigative Reporter
7. Media Watcher
8. Philosopher
9. Flyer
10. Personal Activist
11. Animal Lawyer
12. Politician
13. Prisoner Supporter
14. Public & School Speaker
15. Aerial Snooper
16. Scientific Investigator
17. Solo Information Worker
18. Street Theatre Actor
19. Teacher
20. Voluntary Worker Abroad
Chapter 5
The Law & Animal Rights
1. Terrorism
BackgroundTerrorism DefinedAnimal Extremism & TerrorismDoes AR Extremism Work in Practice?2. Violence or Nonviolence?
Can We Justify Violence?Kinds of ViolenceViews For & Against ViolenceIs Violence Efficacious?Conclusion3. The Law - US & Britain
United StatesFBI vs ExtremistsBritainExtremist TacticsEstablishment Fights Back4. Police Arrest
In the Street & At Your DoorAt the Police StationYour TacticsKnow Your RightsRemaining SilentYour LawyerSuing the Police
Chapter 6
Assorted Animal Rights Activists
1. Steven Best
2. John Lawrence
3. Andrew Linzey
4. Richard Martin
5. The McLibel Two
6. Ingrid Newkirk
7. Jill Phipps
8. Henry Salt
9. Henry Spira
10. Peter Singer
11. Tom Regan
12. Richard D Ryder
Chapter 7
Animal Numbers Raised & Killed
1. Summary
2. Chickens
3. Pigs
4. Beef Cattle
5. Fish
6. Meat Consumption
7. Fur-bearers
8. Experimental Animals
Chapter 8. Extras!
1. Mutilations of Farm Animals
2. The Five Freedoms
3. Painism
4. The Forgotten Fur
5. The Golden Rule
6. Human Overpopulation
7. Climate Change
8. Think Like an Animal
Appendix 1
World Scientists' Warning to Humanity.
Appendix 2
Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.
And Win the War on Animals
The name McLibel epitomises the six year libel trial fought by two ordinary Londoners, Helen Steel (1965 - ) and Dave Morris (1954 - ), and the international, multi-billion dollar fast food giant McDonald's. The legal conflict exposed dubious practices of unrestrained big business and demonstrated the interconnectedness of animals, green issues and social justice.London Greenpeace was a small group in 1980's London, Britain, campaigning for social justice (and no relation to Greenpeace). McDonald's epitomised for them much of what they were fighting to change and in 1986 they produced a leaflet accusing McDonald's, symbol of globalisation and the American lifestyle, of corrupt practices, including cruelty to animals, destruction of rainforests, exploitations of their staff and selling unhealthy food. London Greenpeace chose McDonald's because of that company's high image profile attained by spending millions of advertising dollars convincing people to eat their junk food. Many groups worldwide were demonstrating against McDonald's but London Greenpeace brought all the issues together in the one leaflet: What's Wrong With McDonald's and distributed copies outside McDonald's restaurants in London.
McDonald's threatened or sued everyone who criticised it, no matter who they were, whether national corporations, like BBC, the press or individuals, and almost everyone backed down from this billion-dollar giant. McDonald's could not sue London Greenpeace, it was only an association of individuals, so they pick five activists and told them to apologise or be sued in court.
Three activists recanted but Helen Steel, sometime gardener and nightclub bar worker, and Dave Morris, sometime London postman, stood firm. Consequently in 1990 McDonald's served libel writs on them - even though both denied distributing the offending leaflet. Steel and Morris were unwaged at the time of the trial and could not afford a lawyer. But despite being naive of libel law and court procedures they decided to fight the case themselves. Their moral claim was to defend the right to criticise and scrutinise multi-national companies. Fortunately, pre-trial hearings gave Steel and Morris valuable experience with court procedures and they had free but sporadic advice from sympathetic lawyers. McDonald's engaged the best professional team of lawyers.
The trial proper began in 1994 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. A witty reporter called the case the McLibel Trial, a nickname that stuck, and Steel and Morris were dabbed the McLibel Two. Keeping everything going was an ordeal for the Two. A typical day started at seven or earlier in the morning to get ready for the day's proceedings, such as preparing questions to put to witnesses. Once home from court, preparations continued up to midnight for the following day. All this was on top of looking after their mundane domestic affairs, which the McDonald's team of lawyers had partners and staff to do for them.
What gave the McLibel Two the strength to keep going was the thought that the case was not a personal struggle between them and McDonald's, but a campaign for justice against a multinational company trampling over people, animals and nature. Encouraging letters from a well-wishing public and £40,000 ($80,000) in donations and other support lifted their spirits. The McLibel Support Campaign held a march for free speech and questions were asked in Parliament opposing the use of libel writs by big companies to silence critics. In one of the several legal machinations, McDonald's council succeeded in discharging the jury, which might have proved hostile to McDonald's, on grounds that its members were ordinary people who would not understand the scientific evidence. But Steel and Morris petitioned the House of Lords, the highest court in Britain, and the jury was reinstated. After all, the McLibel Two were ordinary people and if they could understand the evidence then a jury should be able to understand it as well.
Everyone thought the trial would take only a few months, but it ran for six years turning into the longest trail in British legal history (and subsequent legal battles continued for several more years until 2005). Finally, the judge reached a verdict. Steel and Morris were guilty of libelling McDonald's and had to pay them £60,000 ($120,000) in damages (later cut by a third). Damages were relatively light because the judge upheld some of the allegations against McDonald's, such as causing animal suffering, exploiting children through advertising and misleading the public about their food's goodness. Steel and Morris swore never to pay McDonald's. McDonald's chose not to force them to pay, no doubt with public relations in mind.
The McLibel Trial was a moral victory for the McLibel Two and the biggest public relations blunder in the history of business for McDonald's. McDonald's became a symbol of corporate badness using animals, nature and people merely as means to make a profit. The McLibel Trial received worldwide coverage in the new media for the right of ordinary people to freedom of speech against powerful multi-nationals. As Dave Morris said:
The reality is that McDonald's itself is a completely nondescript, money-making organisation, full of hot air - without advertising it would be nothing. (1)
Reference & Sources for this page include:
(1) Dave Morris, One-Off Productions. 1996. (Accessed online February 2007.)
Helen Steel. One-Off Productions. 1997. (Accessed online February 2007.)
| How to Do Animal Rights - And Win the War on Animals. First published on the Web: April 2008. © Roger (Ben) Panaman, April 2008. All rights reserved. |